Russian 14 Yr Old Model, Making $8 A Day, Dies In China

A SHANGHAI agency representing a 14-year-old Russian model who died after taking part in Shanghai Fashion Week has denied claims she was overworked and underpaid.

The teen had been recruited by a prominent Chinese modelling agency, it is understood.

Later on, it was found that Dzyuba was suffering from an inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which is called Chronic meningitis, which persists for 1 month at least.

In Yiwu last Tuesday, the girl told her agent she wasn't feeling well and the next day she returned to Shanghai because she was not feeling any better.

As she waited for her next appearance, her temperature soared.

It is alleged the young model was too "scared" to ask for medical help and was working well over her contract of a maximum three hours a week.

'I didn't sleep myself and was calling her constantly, begging her to go to hospital'.

Her case has since raised critical awareness over the exploitation of children in the fashion industry as it has been claimed that before she went into a coma, she told her mother over the phone that she was exhausted.

"Modeling is not a hard job compared with many other jobs", Zheng said, "and the girl's working schedule was no different than that of models in other places of the world".

According to what was revealed, Vlada was hired by a model agency with little money and no medical insurance.

Sadly, she never regained consciousness and died two days later.

She admitted not personally checking the girl's contract and medical insurance.

ESEE Model Management had signed a three-month contract with Dzyuba's home company, Smirnoff Models based in St. Petersburg, Russia, said the agency boss.